Published: Friday, November 9, 2012 at 6:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, November 10, 2012 at 12:45 a.m.

AVONDALE, Ariz. — Brad Keselowski isn't rolling over for Jimmie Johnson, not with two races to go in their championship battle and not at Phoenix International Raceway.

Keselowski outqualified Johnson by 10 positions Friday at one of the five-time NASCAR champion's best race tracks.

It was an unusual twist for the top two contenders, as Johnson is typically the better qualifier and Keselowski has struggled in that area through the first eight races of the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.

And there should be no question which driver would be in control at Phoenix, where Johnson is a four-time winner and has a 5.3 average finish and Keselowski has only one career top-five.

But when the qualifying session was over, Keselowski had locked down the 14th starting spot for Sunday's race, while Johnson was in 24th.

It's the lowest qualifying position for Johnson in a Chase race since the 2010 opener at New Hampshire, and his worst this season since the August Bristol race.

“Wasn't so good, but we've been fighting a little bit in qualifying trim,” Johnson said. “But, we've got a great baseline race setup to go off.”

Keselowski is eager to reclaim the top spot he held down for five weeks of the Chase, and knows how to get it back.

“I'm running to win, whatever that means,” he said. “Win the race and things become a lot easier.

“You don't have to worry about those things.”

Neither championship contender was near the front of the field, where Kyle Busch set a track in winning the pole.

Busch ran a lap of 138.766 mph to earn the top starting spot, breaking the mark of 137.279 set by Carl Edwards in 2011.

“It's kind of cool because here a year ago we qualified 36th — dead last on speed — and then this year we're fastest, top of the sheets,” Busch said. “It's really good for all of us. I'm just proud of the effort.”

Martin Truex Jr. qualified second and Denny Hamlin was third to give Toyota the top three starting spots.

Kasey Kahne qualified fourth and was followed by Aric Almirola, Kurt Busch and Paul Menard.

Regan Smith was eighth, Tony Stewart was ninth and Mark Martin rounded out the top 10.

SPRINT CUP LINEUP

After Friday qualifying; race Sunday

At Phoenix International Raceway

Avondale, Ariz.

Lap length: 1 miles

(Car number in parentheses)

1. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 138.766 mph.

2. (56) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 138.217.

3. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 137.578.

4. (5) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 137.478.

5. (43) Aric Almirola, Ford, 137.211.

6. (78) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 137.007.

7. (27) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 136.992.

8. (51) Regan Smith, Chevrolet, 136.872.

9. (14) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 136.867.

10. (55) Mark Martin, Toyota, 136.867.

11. (24) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 136.83.

12. (39) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 136.721.

13. (99) Carl Edwards, Ford, 136.679.

14. (2) Brad Keselowski, Dodge, 136.622.

15. (20) Joey Logano, Toyota, 136.488.

16. (15) Clint Bowyer, Toyota, 136.436.

17. (9) Marcos Ambrose, Ford, 136.358.

18. (1) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 136.353.

19. (29) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 136.271.

20. (16) Greg Biffle, Ford, 136.219.

21. (42) Juan Pablo Montoya, Chevrolet, 136.003.

22. (17) Matt Kenseth, Ford, 135.905.

23. (88) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 135.547.

24. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 135.44.

25. (13) Casey Mears, Ford, 135.211.

26. (22) Sam Hornish Jr., Dodge, 135.171.

27. (83) Landon Cassill, Toyota, 134.948.

28. (98) Michael McDowell, Ford, 134.948.

29. (34) David Ragan, Ford, 134.933.

30. (47) Bobby Labonte, Toyota, 134.449.

31. (38) David Gilliland, Ford, 134.373.

32. (30) David Stremme, Toyota, 134.343.

33. (31) Jeff Burton, Chevrolet, 134.198.

34. (44) David Reutimann, Ford, 134.008.

35. (33) Stephen Leicht, Chevrolet, 133.62.

36. (19) Mike Bliss, Toyota, 133.576.

37. (10) Danica Patrick, Chevrolet, 132.954.

38. (26) Josh Wise, Ford, 132.817.

39. (93) Travis Kvapil, Toyota, 132.387.

40. (91) Jason Leffler, Chevrolet, 131.329.

41. (32) Timmy Hill, Ford, 129.945.

42. (36) Dave Blaney, Chevrolet, Owner Points.

43. (87) Joe Nemechek, Toyota, 130.067.

Failed to Qualify

44. (37) J.J. Yeley, Chevrolet, 127.056.

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